Earlier this month we put out a call for an adventurous couple who wanted to make a healthy lifestyle change together.

Karen and Mark answered that call and, over the next twelve weeks, they’ll be giving us an honest, in-depth account about what life is like when you’re on the Weight Watchers plan. They’ll also be helping and supporting each other along the way.

This week Karen and Mark are talking about redoubling their efforts, doing a bit of cooking and prepping themselves for Easter.

Mark and Karen have taken up the Weight Watchers challenge!

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Name: Mark

Starting Weight: 14st 5lbs

Current Weight: 12st 13lbs

After the disappointment of only losing a half a pound last week, this week I decided to redouble my efforts. I ran a total of 40km this week and when I went for my weigh-in I was down 3.5lbs which was lovely.

I’m delighted with this figure because it means I’ve dropped down to a BMI of 24 which is just inside the healthy, normal range. Usually when you hit this mark in Weight Watchers they put you on the maintenance programme so you can keep your weight around this figure but after speaking to my class leader, she has agreed not to put me on the maintenance programme just yet because I still want to lose another 8.5lbs. This means my BMI will get down to a healthy figure of 21 which is important to me as a runner because with my fitness levels improving and my distances increasing, I need to be lighter on my feet to safeguard my joints from the constant impact.

The most important thing I have learned from the Weight Watchers classes so far is to pick the lesser of two evils when it comes to my favourite food and sweets. Instead of eating a Moro or a Mars Bar, I now choose a Curly Wurly for 3 ProPoints or a Cream Egg for 5 ProPoints.

I’m currently in the middle of one of the busiest academic periods I have ever experienced and trying to find the time to cook decent meals for myself is problematic at best. I feel that taking the time to go grocery shopping and start cooking something is just taking away from the time that I could be spending working on impending projects and essays.

To counteract this, I’ve made a large vegetable soup which almost lasts for the entire week (if you store it properly). I’ve bulked it up with a few potatoes so it’s more filling than a normal soup and I’d definitely recommend doing this, especially if you're trying to keep an eye on your weight but you're also pretty busy with other things.

That’s all for me this week. I hope you enjoy your Easter and don’t forget: a 200g Lindt Easter Bunny has 30 ProPoints (shocking!).

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Name: Karen

Starting Weight: 12st 8.5lbs

Current Weight: 11st 9lbs

With the cold weather recently all I’ve wanted to do is stay in bed, drink tea and eat lots of delicious food. It’s really hard to motivate yourself when it’s so cold outside! That being said, I still managed to drag myself down to the gym a few times to get some exercise in, so I’m pleased with that.

I had a reasonably good week when it came to food as well, although one day I spent more of my ProPoints on snacks rather than actual meals. I’ve noticed that I’m definitely starting to store ProPoints so I can eat more sweets. I’ve started to make myself eat bigger lunches so I’ll have less ProPoints in the evening for biscuits and mini chocolate bars!

This was another good week for me in terms of weight loss though. I lost 2lbs and that means I’m only half a pound away from reaching the 1 stone mark. That half a pound is my goal for next week as I have a night out, a roast dinner and an Easter egg to contend with this week, so I’m not expecting to lose a large amount of weight.

On the advice of Mary, our class leader, I’ve decided that I am going to have an Easter egg this weekend, however I will be counting the ProPoints for it. Otherwise I’ll just end up picking at one, not counting the ProPoints and would probably end up eating more than I intend! Mary showed us what 100g of broken-up chocolate looks like and I know I could eat way more than that solely by picking, so that made up my mind.

We’re halfway through our 12 week challenge now and having lost nearly a stone so far, I have to say I’ve been really pleased with the Weight Watchers plan. Blogging about my journey has given me a bit of extra motivation on those days where I feel like giving in.

I've been on some Weight Watchers threads online recently and some of the people chatting there have their own weight loss blogs where they post their goals/pictures/diaries/recipes etc. I think this is a great idea! There are so many people going through the same experience that it’s nice to hear the words of encouragement and compliments (and it can really keep you motivated knowing that there are other people interested in your progress).

I still can’t fit into those size 12 jeans yet but I’m getting closer. I’ve set myself a weight goal of 10st 13lbs before I finish. This goal is just 10lbs away. Fingers crossed that I can get there!

Do you want to join Karen and Mark? Find your nearest Weight Watchers classes here.